Living up to its name

  A lot of folks do not realize that most flowers can symbolize different virtues or moods. Different color flowers mean different things. This representation is probably most noted in the rose.  Florists will tell you that the red rose "means" true love.  A yellow rose when given shows friendship.  A pink rose shows grace.  And so on.  This symbolization is evident in other flowers as well.  An iris is the symbol of hope.  

  This morning, I went out to find one of my large irises toppled by some critter.  Evidently during the night, a raccoon or perhaps a coyote decided to trample about in the garden and the iris was obviously in the way! Down went my lovely iris just before the bud opened.  I was so looking forward to this iris blooming as it was one that Pop had given to me years ago.  Seeing it trampled was a tad disappointing to say the least.  

  By midmorning, however, the bud opened into a gorgeous bloom.  The deep, royal purple and touches of gold caught me by surprise.  Though covered with sand, the bloom was something to behold.  I thought of how appropriately the iris held up its symbolization.  Hope was shining through even though the odds were against the bud from ever opening. Yep, sometimes flowers truly can represent virtues. Maybe, just maybe, we could learn a lesson from this common flower.  Strive forward even through the worst of times.  Have hope.  Never give up as things will look differently in the morrow.  

"A rose by any other name....."

I was out wandering around the garden the other day and a thought popped into my head about the names given to different flowers. Some have very forthright names that make a lot of sense..like Sunflower. It is quite easy to see just why this bloom is named after the sun...it is yellow, after all, and the blossom does "follow" the sun. During the day, the head of this flower will actually turn to face the sun. But then there are some that have weird names. Take the Toad Lily..it is a beautiful flower with a quite...well..not so beautiful name (unless you really like toads!). I guess it goes back to that Notable-Person-in-Charge-of-Naming-Plants, whoever that may be.

All this thinking soon led to a few more random thoughts and as I meandered through the gardens, I started pondering how some people are named after flowers! Mostly ladies have these names bestowed on them but still, there are a few guys that are named after plants. Basil comes to mind as a rather manly name but I also met a Sorrel, once. Daisy, Rose, Iris all seem to have been popular years ago and are now making a comeback in the baby-naming trends. Lily, Jasmine, Violet and Pansy have been always been used as names for little girls and now I hear that Calla, Dahlia, Camellia and Amaryllis are gaining popularity. One flower name that used to be quite the rage but that has fallen from grace is Petunia. (Ever since a certain cartoon pig was called by that handle, it would be a rare instance that anyone would tack that to their little girl!)

Those are all beautiful names and I truly would not mind being called by any of them had my parents felt the need to name me after a flower. At least, all of those are lovely and bring to mind a free-spirited, little sprite! Yes, I would have been A-OK with being dubbed a floral name as long as it was not something like...Toad Lily..or Spiderwort...or Scabiosa! Nope..that would not have been acceptable and might have called for a name-change!

Meandering the Garden Path

The wind whipped the petals off of many of the roses today, which made the garden look a bit bare. There are many, many buds still on the bushes so in a few days the rose garden will again be dotted with color and not be just a thorn garden. I am having a problem with black spot on the leaves this year and have decided to try a "home remedy" of apple cider vinegar with a few other ingredients added in for good measure. Once I figure out just what all would be helpful, I will post a recipe for the spray.

Although the wind tore up most of the roses, the jasmine and Deutzia Scabra held their blossoms well. These must be some tough plants! The Deutzia Scabra is full of snow-white "feathers" and is a cutting off of a bush from long ago at my parents' house. Theirs sat at the corner of a large circle driveway and was quite massive. Mine, though, is still small even though it is about ten years old. It has had a difficult time growing. Hurricane Katrina literally ripped it from the ground and buried it under a pile of debris. There it sat for several months until I was able to dig it out. Once I located it, the Deutzia Scabra was replanted and then had to be moved again once the gardens were designed. All of that moving could not have created the best of growing conditions, but still, it blooms on, proving that this is one tough plant! Hubby calls it the "Feather Tree" because of the appearance of the blooms. This year once it finishes its bloom cycle, I will trim it back and root a few cuttings. It should do well.

Other plants that are holding their own through the wind are the Amaryllis blooms. As large as these flowers are, they are pretty sturdy. These were gifts from my son and daughter-in-law. The bulbs that they sent were of a nice, healthy size and have bloomed every year. This year, a few must have multiplied as I have four new ones in the garden. I love the soft rose color of this one named the "Susan". Also a few "wild" or throwbacks to the original Amaryllis have shown up this year. These "Old World" bulbs have sort of an orangish tint to them and are striped with yellowish-white. They are small in comparison to the others but I still think there is a place for them in the garden.

A bit further down the pathway are the irises. I am pleased to see that the purple irises are in full bloom and are loaded with buds, but for some reason, my yellows have never set any buds. I am wondering if I should lift them out of their bed and replant them in a better place. Perhaps the yellows need more water. I might try potting a few and sink them in the pond. I would love to make a "bog garden" some day. I think the irises, elephant ears and water hyssop would do well there. In the creek bed, ferns, irises, and water hyssop abound, so I just need to "create a creek"!

Then there are the weeds! Most people will call Oxalis a weed but I rather like the little blooms so I let it grow where it will. This is also known as wood sorrel and grows from a tiny bulb. It grows wild in the woods, ditches and fields but since it has taken up residence in my gardens, it is now a landscaping plant! I love the natural way this plant will spill out of container gardens, fill up empty spaces between larger plants and blend right in with the vegetables in that garden. The stems and leaves of the plant contain oxalic acid so some care should be used with the plant. Not that there is enough to cause immediate problems but still care should be taken. This little plant can have free rein in the garden as far as I am concerned!

Wildflowers or Weeds?

I love to wander in the woods near where the Bayou turns into a creek just to look at plants. There is an amazing variety of plants that grow in this bog. It is quite difficult to get into this area and in summer there is always the chance that you might encounter a snake or two, but to me, it is well worth the effort. Each month there is a different show of color hiding beneath the canopy of trees just beckoning me. More than once, I have wandered in with a shovel and bucket to dig a few specimens to be transplanted in the gardens at the house. I am always careful to leave ample plants as to not deplete my wonderland.

Veronia is one plant that I moved to the garden. It is a tall plant that blooms profusely but also makes thousands of seeds. This in itself can be a problem in the garden but since I deadhead as soon as the blooms fade, I should be able to contain it. I love the deep rich purple of the blooms of this tall (mine is about five feet tall) plant.

Another transplanted beauty is the Marsh Mallow. (Not to be confused with marshmallows from S'mores fame!) The Marsh Mallow is a member of the Hibiscus family and is usually pink or white with yellow centers. They get about three feet tall and seem to be impossible to kill..my type of plant!

Blue Flags or Wild Irises are also abundant in the creek bottom. These, although I have dug them and moved them to the gardens, are reported to be highly toxic to both humans and livestock. I decided that I was safe having them in the garden since I knew about this and the only "livestock" around are the dog, Ezzy and the cat, Ms Put. Ms Put would be smart enough not to eat a poisonous plant and Ezzy, well..let's just say I have to watch her. She will chew anything!

A very fragrant plant, the Swamp Lily, also called Seven Sisters Lily, String Lily and sometimes Spider Lily, is to be my next acquisition. The back part of the Bayou is a solid mass of these lilies with bulbs some four inches in diameter. They remind my of a night-blooming lily that was outside of the bedroom that my sister and I shared as children. We would push our beds next to the windows during the summer (no air conditioning in those days) and would always love it when those lilies bloomed!